SHANE Fitzgerald celebrated his 22nd birthday in good style as he teamed up with his principal supporter Mick Goff to get their respective new seasons off the mark with the victory of Nelson’s Rock (2-6/1) in the four-year-old maiden.
The race is proving to be quite a lucky one for the pair, as the one-and-a-half-length victory for the Mount Nelson gelding provided them with their second consecutive victory in the race, following on from the success of De Forgotten One 12 months earlier.
“I’m delighted with that today. He’s as genuine as the day is long, jumps and stays. We came here and thought it was a stiff test for him, but it suited him down to the ground. It looked like he was covered turning in, but he just kept finding more,” said Goff after watching his wife Catriona’s bay defeat of Minella Wizard.
Rossdoonstown handler Vincent Devereux ended the day with his strike rate for the season sitting on 100%, after Getawaytonewbay (5/1), his first runner of the new campaign, ran out a five-length winner of the winner-of-one contest for mares.
The Durrow maiden winner from the spring, had the measure of Ballymorris Rose when that rival departed at the last, leaving Shuil Luas to chase her home.
“She did it well there, I was more hopeful than confident but it’s great to get a winner. If they keep running like that, we’ll be happy,” said the winning handler of the James Devereux-owned six-year-old who will now be aimed at either a mares’ winner race or open.
JAMIE Codd and David O’Brien enjoyed a lucrative partnership on the afternoon combining successfully on two occasions, beginning with Leeswood Lily (3-4/1) in the mares’ maiden.
The six-year-old may well have had fortune on her side, as the Jordan Gainford-ridden The Forge Hill held the narrow advantage when coming down at the last, presenting the Alflora mare with victory. The success will undoubtedly have provided her absent owner with a welcome tonic, as Michael Allen from Leeswood, a small village in Flintshire, Wales, where the mare is named after, was recovering following a spell in hospital.
Success for the pair with Ran Rite (6/4-5/4 favourite) in the older geldings’ maiden proved to be more emphatic, as the dual runner-up from last season, who chased home subsequent hunter chase victor Myrons on his debut at Turtulla 11 months ago, proved to be a class above his rivals.
Representing owner-breeder Denis Tarrant, the six-year-old proved six lengths too good for the newcomer Scottish Accent, to continue the good fortune that Tarrant has enjoyed with sons of Dansant, as the stallion who stands at Noel Henley’s Bridge House Stud in Tallow also sired his Downpatrick hunter chase winner from last season, My Oakclahome.
“He’s a lovely horse, his first two runs were very good. The last day he ran he hurt his back and it took a good while to get him right again, thankfully the owners were very patient. He’ll probably go for a winner-of-one now,” said the Kilkenny-based handler.
Codd had earlier teamed up with his long-standing supporter Denis Murphy to win a second five-year-old geldings’ maiden of the weekend, as Honest Exchange (2-3/1) supplemented the victory of Hard Ground from Portrush 24 hours earlier.
Sporting the familiar green and yellow silks of popular Tipperary owner Pat Coffey, the Gold Well gelding powered up the hill to record a comprehensive 10-length victory over previous Monksgrange fifth Whatabouttime.
“We hadn’t got a clear run with him until we brought him in three months ago and Jamie (Codd) told me I don’t realise how much this horse has improved,” said Murphy of the half-brother Last Instalment, that he bought with Coffey at the Derby Sale.
“He’s a babyish horse, he’s only starting to learn, so we’ll probably go for a winner’s race or go to the sales.”
Better too Quick at 13
BETTER B Quick (8-10/1) rolled back the years as he won his first race since the final day of the 2017 point-to-point season in the open.
In a race which featured former track performers such as Vyta Du Roc, Urano and Val De Ferbet, it was Michael Murphy’s 13-year-old who came out on top to add to his three previous successes in open company.
A final fence blunder from the short-priced favourite Vyta Du Roc, certainly aided his task as it allowed Tiernan Roche to bring the son of Overbury home with a two-and-a-half-length advantage.
“It’s brilliant, he still has it anyway! We thought he might have needed the run today, but he’s been in good form at home,” said Murphy after recording the first winner for his Redbridge Stables, where he was listed as the handler.
“He’ll stay pointing now unless we go for a banks race in Punchestown, though his main target will be the banks race in Lingstown in November.”
Horse to follow
SPONTHUS (P Doyle): This four-year-old from the first crop of German Group 2 winner Alianthus made good ground to come from off the pace and get among some more experienced rivals on his debut.
Donlon and Rothwell combine in new-look committee
SUNDAY’S Shillelagh fixture was the first for a brand new point-to-point committee, which featured two well-known figures within racing filling the role of point-to-point secretary. Vicki Donlon, Marketing, Sponsorship and Events Manager at Leopardstown Racecourse, was joined in the role by Niamh Rothwell, wife of trainer Philip, whose gallops runs adjacent to the home straight of the track in Fairwood Park.
“We are extremely grateful for the support that we have received from all the stakeholders involved, from the handlers, riders, the officials that are here today from the IHRB, and in particular the landowners,” said Donlon after racing.
“We are delighted with how today has gone, and everyone has helped out in a big way.”